Clockwork
by RenaRoo
Summary: Max has made their little family like clockwork. The efficiency seems reward enough... but she could do with some little appreciation.


red-dye-number-five prompted: Oracle - Max, Batman -Terry, and Robin - Matt, aside from that do what you will.

You know me so well 3

The Batgirl in allusion is Nissa from Batgirl Beyond just so it's clear

Batman, Batman Beyond and related properties © DC Comics  
story © RenaRoo

 **Clockwork**

"Robin, are you _purposefully_ leaving your side open or am I going to have to pull you back off rotation? I hear Batgirl has been itching for more team-ups."

Oracle smiles as she leans forward, watching the HUD camera as Robin finally returns to a fully guarded stance. Max laughs silently, just picturing Matt's pouting lips and arched shoulders.

He was so defensive for a fourteen-year-old.

"Even if I believed Batgirl wanted to team up with Buttface over there, you couldn't take me off the roster!" Robin returns hotly. "No one can keep Robin from the skies."

"Who are you calling 'Buttface'?" Batman's growl came over the transmitter. "And Oracle could, Robin. She has access to the main panel, remember? Better be nice to her unless you want that obnoxious suit on lockdown."

"She wouldn't dare!" the young teen whined as he kicked out the Splicer in front of him.

"Would," Max returns easily. "Stop playing around, boys. Bring it home."

"Fine, Mom," the unison of McGinnis' sounds as they did just that. They are much the same in their methods - showy, brutal, relentless - it was the remarkable sight of brothers.

Max watches them with reservation, they had jabbed at each other enough tonight, she is thinking of letting her boys come home without any more commentary from her very distant, very lonesome peanut gallery.

She does a last look through the news networks and police scanners - assesses the rates of threats, determines that Gordon and the GCPD can handle it all - and begins the process of closing down the Network as the Batmobile alerts her that they're on their way home.

With a few minutes to spare, Max stands back, hands on her hips, and smiles softly at the Bat computers - old and the additions she had put in herself, not long after Matt had talked his brother into taking him on as an apprentice of sorts. A Robin.

It'd taken a while, but they found it. Between them and Nissa in Crown Point, they had brought back to Gotham a real Batman Family.

"Good job, boys," she says softly.

"It was an easy night."

Max is _almost_ beyond jumping at that voice, but not yet. Not tonight. She flinches but finishes with a smirk, turning just enough to look at the father of the whole operation.

The originator of, well, quite literally _everything.  
_

"Hello, Mr. Wayne," Max says, watching the weight of his lean on the cane. "Don't worry, I'm cleaning up a bit." She raises a brow at him. "And for the record, this is our first easy night in something like two weeks. I wasn't going to work them to death this time around."

The man approaches the command center, looking down his nose at the computers. He gives a "hmmph".

Max crosses her arms and rolls her eyes. It is about the time of the month for a random inspection from their patriarch, she supposes.

The gush of wind from the bay doors opening draws both of their attentions. They watch as the flying Batmobile enters the cave, lands on the launch pad, and opens its hatch for the two riders.

Reaching for her palm pad, Max snorts at the boys. "You let Matt drive?"

"I've gotta practice for my driver's test!" Matt exclaims, leaping out first and yanking off his mask.

"You won't be eligible for a driver's exam in Gotham for two years," Bruce points out sternly.

"Never too early to learn," Terry defends, leaping out behind him. "Besides, it's just easier to give in sometimes."

"Cute how much control the Terror Titan has over you," Max counters her partner with a smirk. She holds up her palm pad. "You want your schedule for the week or not?"

"Do I need a schedule this week?" Terry asks with a bit of a groan in his voice.

"Only if you don't want to forget your mother's birthday again," she says pointedly.

"Oh, right."

"Or miss your date with Dana on Tuesday," Max continues, keeping in step with Terry as he heads toward the lockers.

"Like I would ever-" he pauses, looks at her meaningfully.

Max sighs. " _Today_ is Tuesday. So I'm putting Matt and Nissa on patrol for the early hours but you still need to get out there and see Gordon by at least 2 a.m."

"They're _still_ pushing for rebuilding Arkham?" Matt asks, popping up beside them with a natural feat of athleticism that Max can barely question.

"Yeah, city councils can be dumb like that," Terry comments. "We're trying to block it."

"You mean _I'm_ trying to block it," Max points out, hands on her hips. "I've got a busy week myself."

"Stop double booking yourself then," Terry jokes.

Just as Max opens her mouth to snap back, they look back to Bruce when he clears his throat.

He stares right at her. "Maxine," he says, like it's an order, and walks toward the other end of the cave.

"Uh-oh, some _one_ did some _thing!"_ Matt coos.

Max smirks and roughly rubs his hair as she walks past. "I'm sure it has to do with Arkham, kid, no worries."

Despite her own words, Max feels sick to her stomach just as she approaches Bruce. She hardly ever likes their private talks like this...

He's looking at the training grounds she's been working on. Every time she thinks it's good, Matt or Terry one will bust an animatronic or sensor. She's not entirely certain why Bruce wants to talk to her about any of this, though.

"Has Matthew been using the training grounds often?" he asks without even fully looking at her.

Max shrugs. "Every day I've got it running after him and his bonehead brother break it. No respect."

"Hnn," Bruce says, like it's any kind of meaningful phrase. Max is almost certain their conversation will be ending on that note when he turns and faces her directly. "You're doing an excellent job."

She blinks. "I... am?"

"As good or better than the original Oracle," Bruce says keenly.

Her heart's racing, all she can do is nod. "I... well... _thank_ you, Mister Wayne."

"Don't let up," he warns. "Being the brains behind Batman can be hard stuff."

Max laughs. "Well, the good thing about it is when they're giving me a hard time, I just smack them around some."

Bruce actually smirks, squeezes her shoulder, and walks past her.

Never in her life has Max felt more faint. She gathers herself, feeling like her heart is readying to leap right out of her chest, and heads over to her boys, ready to act like nothing ever happened.

"Brains of Batman," she murmurs, smile widening across her face, "I like that."


End file.
